About the Project

Manoa Trade Your Stuff is a team project for ICS 314 that creates a specialized marketplace for the University of Hawaii at Manoa community. The platform facilitates the buying and selling of campus-specific goods and services, making it easier for students, faculty, and staff to trade items within the UHM community.

Key Features

The platform offers a comprehensive set of features designed to create a seamless trading experience. Users can easily browse and search through available items using our intuitive interface. The system includes a robust user profile system that allows members to manage their listings and personal information. Items are carefully categorized for easy navigation, and the platform includes secure listing creation and management tools. To maintain a safe trading environment, we implemented a reporting system for inappropriate content, and the entire interface is designed to be responsive across all devices.

My Contributions

As a key member of the development team, I was responsible for several critical components of the platform:

In the Profile Management System, I developed the Add Profile page for new user registration, created the Edit Profile functionality for user information updates, and implemented the Profile Page for displaying user information. These features were essential for creating a personalized experience for each user.

For the User Interface Optimization, I focused on enhancing the overall user experience. I improved the Item List to make browsing more efficient, reorganized the Categories Page for better navigation, and optimized the Item List Page to ensure smooth performance. These improvements made the platform more user-friendly and accessible to the UHM community.

What I Learned

This project provided me with valuable experience in full-stack web development and team collaboration. I gained hands-on experience with modern web technologies, including full-stack development using Meteor and React, database management with MongoDB, and automated testing with TestCafe. The project also taught me important skills in version control and merge conflict resolution, as well as website deployment and server management.

Beyond technical skills, I developed crucial professional competencies through this project. I learned effective team collaboration and communication strategies, gained experience in project planning and milestone management, and developed skills in code review and quality assurance. The project also deepened my understanding of user experience design principles, which has been valuable in my subsequent work.

Project Impact

The platform successfully created a sustainable marketplace for the UHM community, promoting the reuse and recycling of campus-specific items. The project demonstrated the practical application of web development skills in creating a real-world solution that benefits the university community. By providing a dedicated platform for campus trading, we helped reduce waste and foster a more sustainable campus environment.